A first Christmas list – things to keep relatives happy

As much as I would like to pretend that it is no where near Christmas right now, I would be in pointless denial. After being hassled mercilessly by my Christmas crazy sister for present ideas nearly 3 weeks ago, I realised it was time to get real. Therefore London Cyclist brings you an initial Christmas list of items to suit every budget and hopefully get eager relatives off your back (my sister refused to buy me anything bike related by the way).

Have a look at our first selection of ideas for your Christmas list. These would also be great gifts for any cyclist in your life (even if that is yourself!)

The lovely cycling cafe and workshop on Old Street has a lot of its own merchandise and they have some new products out for Christmas. Our favourites are the women’s Podium Pants (£25) and the pink and grey Harlequin socks (£15 per pair). I personally love getting socks for Christmas, and cycling themed sock are even better! Finally they have some festively coloured bobble hats (£25) that are pretty fun and will be perfect for relative visiting in the cold.

Add some whimsy to your bike or a friends with this awesome bottle cage (£13). Portland Design Works make beautifully designed and made urban cycling accessories, and this bottle gage is no exception. Available in black, silver or white, The Bird fits regular mounts and holds bottles well. I put one on my Trek touring bike and it is jolly and functional.

More a sound maker than a bell, this is a little ball which is easy to hit and makes a loud noise. The bell has a magnetic mount so you can take it with you, and it doesn’t work unmounted for safe pocket storage. When you take it out of the mount and put it back in, the sound it makes changes. Its pretty noticeable and really quite fun, although you might not want to buy it for a 5 year old! It can be purchased for £15 in Brompton Junction if you wish to see one for yourself.

If you or your gift recipient are more into technological undercover awesomeness than under clothes awesomeness, then these lights are for you. LED Lenser have been making high powered torches for a while now, but the demand for bike lights has finally brought them around to our way of thinking. We will have a full review of these lights soon, but for now, just know we like them!

There are two varieties available, all usb rechargeable. The set of B2R lights (£29.99) is great for being seen in the city. They are simple and neat with enough flashing modes for all. The batteries last a good long time in your bag and they don’t take up too much precious real estate no the bars. They are also excellent value for a set of rechargeable lights.

They also have a great option is great for those who have a darker section of commute home, or who also go camping, the 180 lumen SEO B5R (£42.46) . It can be powered by either regular batteries or a rechargeable cell and can also be attached to a headband. It is super bright and has a 20 hour run time.

This is the mudguard for people who don’t want mudguards on their bike, or a perfect summer guard, when it could rain at any time! It rolls away when not in use and looks pretty awesome when it is in use. To you install you remove the seat post and slip the Plume on, so it is pretty secure from thieves. You get good butt coverage from this mudguard for only £24.

The Svelte Heritage Jersey is a short sleeved merino jersey which is made in London. Priced at £90, it comes in men’s or women’s in a good choice of colours. The jersey is super comfortable and has four useful pockets on the back, one which buttons up and would be good for keys or a small wallet. However, it doesn’t just have on bike features, it is smart enough that it would be perfect to wear in a city environment. The final bonus is the merino fabric which keeps you warm in winter, cool in summer and doesn’t get stinky after a hard day of riding.

Is it a comfy hoody? Is it a softshell? Well, its both, and more. Huez are a London based company who make clothing for urban and road cycling. They are currently focused on men’s clothing, but a few of the items are perfectly unisex. The hoody is water repellent and wind proof, but looks just like a regular sweater, meaning it can give you on bike comfort and off bike stealth, all this can be yours for £185.

It’s a really good hoody, even if the model looks a little unimpressed!

More, More, More!

We will be bringing you a few more suggestions in the coming weeks and hopefully help out gift givers and gift receivers alike!

What is your favourite bike related Christmas gift from years gone by?

Mudgards of the Plume’s (unfurled) format are one of my pet hates, since they do nothing to protect following riders from spray. The message sent is “I’m quite happy to spend the money and take the trouble to fit a mudguard to my bike, but I only want it to protect me. The rest of you can enjoy a faceful of dirty water.”